Where is she?
by Thecricketsarecalling
Summary: Charles knows the only weakness Erik has is finding the truth behind the woman he loved, and his child.
1. Chapter 1

"Where is she?"

Erik asked Charles as they climbed inside the backseat of the rental car. The man that was calling himself Logan sat up front, squished with Hank and the boy named Peter up front. Charles suspected this was because they wanted the two of them to maybe have a little time to talk one on one during the three hour ride to the plane they were meeting. Charles glanced over and saw Erik staring straight ahead. His eyes blank and exhausted. He knew he would ask, in fact ever since he was captured nearly ten years ago and she was taken from him he knew it would be an obsession until he found her again. For a brief time Charles felt that this was for the best. He knew what had happened to her, and the baby and was devastated, but he felt as soon as she escaped that this was finally her chance to leave and start over. Erik no longer closely watching her every move, trying to get her to become possessed by her power as he was with his. He knew she was his only true weakness, and that no death or torture could compare to what they did to her and their child.

Right away he felt Erik's stare on him before he turned and locked eyes with him. This was a man who had been a friend, brother, and now enemy. He hated that they needed him, and after everything that had happened he could stand being this close to him.

"She was captured, you know that."

"She's alive though, I can sense that much. Where is she? Has she been with you?"

"She's alive, and she had escaped...some time ago now. She was with me yes.'

Right away without even thinking Erik's hand lashed out grabbing Charles' arm tightly. Staring, he felt his grip tighten before he eyed up to the front seat where Logan was looking back at him in the rearview mirror. Sighing, he gently pulled his arm back away from his grip and smoothed out his sleeve.

"She's stayed with me for some time now in hiding, she comes and goes as she pleases. I don't own her, she isn't an object. Don't you remember that?"

Erik glared at him.

"Do you know where she is now?"

"Not exactly, but she should be returning soon. A few days at the most. I don't go into her business, she has her own life."

"You told me once you would look after her, protect her, watch out for her in case I couldn't..."

"SHE ISN'T A CHILD!"

Charles screamed, causing Hank and Peter to glance back before Logan gripped the wheel and simply shook his head. Believing it was safer to stare ahead, both turned forward not saying a word. Logan reached and snapped the knob of the radio where some soft soul song began playing. Feeling his temples pound, and his blood pressure begin to rise Charles knew he had to get himself under control before he lost it. Erik simply stared before he looked forward.

"Was it a boy or girl?"

Charles turned.

"What?"

"The baby, do I have a son or a daughter?"

Charles knew if he lost it now things wouldn't end well. He would have his moment later, he knew the key was to simply control himself and not lose sight on what had to be done. Still, he thought about how young they all were, how stupid he had been for letting Erik take her, how he simply stood back and watched everything happen.

"A boy...a son."

He said through clenched teeth. He hated Erik even more when he saw the utter look of joy and surprise glimmer across his blue eyes. For just a second it sickened Charles to see what could have been the reflection of tears in them. Instantly Erik looked speechless, laughing to himself he cupped his hand over his face before he stared straight ahead.

"I...have a son?"

"Had."

That one word rang out loudly in the car. Charles would never admit it out loud but it brought him pleasure to see the faint color drain from his face, that instant look of shock and loss overtake his face. He knew hearing just that one word was a worse punishment than being buried beneath the ground like that for all this time.

Erik cleared his throat, stared down and began twisting his hands together.

"They...killed him?"

Charles looked over completely disgusted.

"Most likely, he was taken from her when he was born. She was held captive the entire rest of the pregnancy. She was able to escape just a few months later. She tried several times to go back and find him but they either killed him or took him someplace else classified. We drained our resources trying to find what became of him but it was useless. She hasn't given up looking, but the fact of the matter is...he's gone."

Erik gripped his hands against his thighs tightly. For just a brief second he heard the roof of the car begin to dimple in. He saw Peter glancing up at it up front and just like that Erik released his grip and the roof seemed to straighten back out.

Erik took a heavy breath.

"Where...did they take her?"

"Does it matter? It's over with. It was nearly ten years ago, he's gone."

Erik stared out the window at the passing highway.

"Do you know anything about him?"

Charles turned.

"Only that he was taken screaming and crying from her the second they tore him out of her. Besides that no."

"Was he like us?"

"Probably, why would they have a use for him?"

Erik sat there in silence for a good hour, there were plans on stopping soon to change before they reached the private airport. Charles kept glancing over, wishing to God he wouldn't end up causing her any more pain than he all ready had.


	2. Chapter 2

1973

After their disagreement on the plane, Erik and Charles sat across from each other playing chess. Charles had last seen Erik one last time after Cuba, and before Dallas happened. He had known for some time that Raven was in love with Erik, in fact he knew it the moment she laid eyes on him. The day she left him on the beach part of his heart broke forever. To him, Raven had been more than a friend and a sister...she could have been so much more. Instead she had been foolish and followed Erik even though she knew in her heart he could never truly care for her the same way. His heart had been taken the moment he laid eyes on the very same woman he dropped off just weeks before the president was killed and he was captured. The school was up and running, and finally Charles had found some sense of order in his life. Hank was in the process of making the serum for themselves, and the ability to walk seemed to glimmer somewhere in the distant future. Hank had began experimenting on himself and so far had found the right dose to keep himself leveled. The school was welcoming new students, and even though Charles was still adjusting to living his life in a wheelchair, the joy of taking care of these children brought him a joy he never thought he would know. The second they arrived, Charles knew. He had wished so badly Raven had been with them, in fact his heart leapt the second he sensed Erik. He was in his study when Hank led them both in. Erik and his "wife". Ryan Sterling. Ryan had been recruited back in 1962, the same time the team had originally formed thanks to the CIA. Ryan had been in her early twenties when they found her. Her mutation had been that she was able to shift and turn completely into a liquid metal subtense. Her entire DNA pattern caused her to be able to shift into this mass of liquid and be able to become any size anywhere in that same form. She was also able to turn her body, along with limbs into sharp metal instruments. So it had in fact seemed like destiny that Erik and her were meant to be together. Where else could be find a woman completely made out of metal? A beautiful young woman that he was able to control, and keep by his side at all times. He knew from the moment they found her, it was a mistake.

She had stood by his side the entire time in Cuba, she had trained with them at the school, and Charles watched as Erik began to obese over her while Raven watched from afar. Now they were back, ever since that faithful day. Charles knew the path he had been leading the others on, and hated Erik for it. They returned side by side, a handsome couple indeed. Erik wearing a leather jacket and red scarf, riding a motorcycle with Ryan behind him, her arms tightly wrapped around his wore a short dress and tights. The second they got off the cycle, Charles watched from the windows above. The second he didn't see Raven his blood began to boil. Hank led them into his study where he watched the two of them walk in side by side. The last time he had seen them together were watching him lay on that beach in Cuba, leaving him and taking everything with them. Glaring at them, Charles rung his hands together and remembered when they first met Ryan a year ago. One year earlier... Charles and Erik traveled to Cape Cod in their last ditch effort to find one last mutant. So far they had counted themselves extremely lucky, even if there had been bumps in the road. The suits were breathing down their necks, claiming that time was short, instead Charles followed his senses and knew there was a reason they were traveling so far out of their way. They arrived at the dance studio, the forth floor of a brick building. One wall was completely made out of glass windows that over looked the breathtaking view. Standing in the back, the two men watched as dangers, all young women in leotards twirling and dancing about.

"May I help you?"

Both men turned and saw the head instructor, an older woman in her forties with her salt and pepper colored hair tightly drawn up in a bun. She stood before them holding a walking stick and glared at them as if they were insects. Charles and Erik exchanged a look before Charles cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"I beg your pardon, but my names is Charles Xavier and this is my business partner Erik Lehnsherr, we were wondering if we may talk with Ryan Sterling for a moment?"

The woman's stone set face didn't change it's expression. Finally she looked out onto her dance floor, thin overcast sunlight pouring in.

"Yeah she's over there, but my girls are faithful in staying with my company. You'll have to use more than those handsome faces of yours to charm Ryan."

With that the woman turned, directing her attention towards a small group of young girls trying to lace up their slippers. Erik pushed up his sunglasses up into his chair before looking across the room at all the young women. Charles took a step forward, before looking past all the dancers. Finally he saw her. Closer towards the windows, stretching alone with one of her black tight clad legs bend upward against the brass bar that ran the length of the windows. She was a slim young woman, in a black leotard that clung to her body. Her slippers were gray, and laced up her ankles. She was young, maybe in her early twenties. She had bleach blond hair, tied up loosely which strands fell down against the back of her neck. Her face was turned slightly, but it appeared she had fair skin, and a nice smooth sturdy dancer's body. Charles looked over at Erik and instantly knew something was wrong. Raising an eyebrow,he leaned in close speaking softly beneath the classical music that played from the speakers that were set up around the room. "What's the matter?" Erik gazed at the girl, stretching alone before them. He seemed almost as if he was in a deep trance, from that very moment Charles knew this was going to be trouble. It took Erik a moment before he broke his gaze and nodded.

"Come on, let's have it then." Charles still felt something was terribly wrong. When he should have taken his friend's arm and turned around he simply walked forward to the girl trying to be his usual charming self. Clearing his throat, he smiled.

"Excuse me? Ms. Sterling?" With that, the girl turned and the moment her gray eyes locked with Erik. It was completely over. Later It didn't take Charles long to get her to go with them. He simply introduced them, Erik the entire time simply standing there with his arms crossed, never taking his eyes off her. He explained they had traveled a great way to talk to her. Raising an eyebrow, Ryan said she wasn't available to leave the company at the present time and that's when Charles smiled saying that they were interested in her other talents. With that Ryan stood before them, hesitant for a second she looked at the two of them before Charles motioned behind him.

"Would you mind going down the street for a cup of coffee with us?" Ryan glanced between both men before she slowly nodded. "Yeah sure, let me just get my stuff..." The followed her as she walked to the bench and grabbed her towel and gym bag. She told them she had to drop something off at her car that was parked out back. Charles and Erik waited and followed her down the back staircase towards the tiny parking-lot. She headed towards a small old ford parked against the building, shifting her bag from shoulder to shoulder. Keeping ahead of them, she stopped and put her bag down, reaching she went to go grab the keys in the front pocket. Her back still facing them, Erik seemed to look as if she was enjoying the view he was getting as Charles stood beside him. In a flash, the girl turned holding a small pistol.

"What do you want?!"

Charles right away held up his hands purely out of reaction other than making her stop. The girl looked scared as she stood there, eyes wide yet her hand perfectly steady. Erik was the one who simply stepped forward, smiled and held his hand up. Within a second the gun trembled in the girl's hand before it flew across into Erik's. Stepping back, bumping herself against the trunk of her car she gasped at them. Erik looked over the pistol smiling before he glanced at Charles.

"I feel you may want to talk with us."

Ryan Sterling stood before the two them, looking back and forth between them before her hand slowly rose up top he chest.

"My God..." Smiling, Charles looked around. They were completely alone. "We have a lot to talk about, is there a place we can talk alone?"

Ryan nervously bit her lip, looking at both men before Erik handed her the pistol back. Ryan stared down at it, unsure at first before Erik nodded. "Go on..." Carefully, she snatched it from Erik's hand before they lifted their eyes and looked at each other. Charles watched them before Erik's fingertips seemed almost to dance over her hand. As he drew back his hand, Ryan's almost seemed to float in mid air and pull towards him. Looking, Erik smiled with amazement.

"My God, what are you?" Gazing at them, Ryan sighed before tucking the pistol down into her bag and throwing it back over her shoulder. Sighing, she motioned towards her car.

"Come on." Charles and Erik glanced at each other for just a second before Charles nodded. Both climbed into Ryan's car, and listened to the engine choke and cough before she shifted it into gear and began to back up. Charles sat in the passenger seat while Erik sat in the back. The entire time not taking his eyes off Ryan as he stared up at the rearview mirror. Charles did most of the talking, explaining what their purpose was, and why they had been sent. He went a little into the headquarters, the others, their very own powers, and of course Shaw. Ryan was mostly silent the entire drive, she drove carefully, listening and nodding. Finally she turned down a small dead end street right near the water where small apartments and cottages sat side by side. Turning into a two family, she parked in the side driveway.

"This is my place I've been renting, come on we can talk in private."

The men climbed out, following as they went up the side steps that were made out of peeling old painted wood and were led into the second floor apartment. Inside it was small but cozy. There was barley any furniture besides a few old armchairs, and beanbags. The place was tidy with a brown carpet, and drawn orange curtains. Right away Ryan tossed her bag down on the floor and offered Charles and Erik the two old armchairs that had stuffing falling out of the sides. Crossing over to the coffee table, she sat down and began to unlace her slippers, slowly rubbing her feet.

"I had a feeling there were others like me, I knew I couldn't have been the only one."

"Your family..." Ryan shook her head.

"Never knew them, I was put up for a closed adoption when I was three. I was shuffled from a few foster homes until I turned eighteen. Lucky for me I could actually dance back at school while I waited tables down town part time and ended up getting this gig. The pay isn't amazing but I dance for a few performances a month in the area and help teach classes for the younger girls. I can pay the rent here and people leave me alone, can't ask for more."

"When did you know you were different?" "Thirteen or fourteen it first happened."

"Which is?" Sighing she sat up straight before looking at the two of them.

"I've been able to keep this hidden for a while. Nobody, and I mean nobody knows about what I can do. if you two are lying I'm as good as dead." Standing, she stared at them before closing her eyes and holding her left arm up. Before their very eyes her flesh seemed to turn and take shape into pure liquid metal. Her fingers melted together along with the skin of her arm. It turned to a sleek glistening sharp piece of metal, almost as if it was a three foot knife. Staring at them with calm eyes, she saw the shocked expressions.

"That's not even the beginning of it, watch this." Closing her eyes, she melted before their very own eyes into a solid piece of liquid silver. It fell down onto the floor in a puddle moving quickly before slowly shifting upward and reforming back into Ryan still dressed in her dancing gear, perfectly whole again. Faintly smiling, she looked at them before Erik's jaw dropped in utter and complete shock. "Your...made out of metal." Charles looked over at Erik and saw a smile slowly appear on his friend's face.

"Amazing..." With just the simple twitch of his finger, Ryan nearly stumbled forward, being pulled towards Erik by some sort of invisible force. Ryan looked surprised as she couldn't seem to control her slippers dragging across the carpet. Instantly Charles glared at his friend.

"That's enough." Erik smiled, stopping his hand before standing. Slowly he circled around her, utterly amazed. Charles crossed his legs, clearing his throat feeling very uncomfortable. He could see the instant attraction between Erik and Ryan, and didn't like it one bit. Smirking, he shook his head.

"Well, well, well Erik...looks like you found something your naturally drawn to." Erik continued staring at Ryan, completely not hearing Charles.

LATER...

They spent a good two hours talking. Ryan explained that never before had anything like this happened until she was thirteen or so. In fact, even blood tests and doctors appointments never showed any sign of it. Finally when she was staying with an older couple a few towns over it began to happen. She explained she was staying after school at dance practice when her legs and arms began to feel numb. The change happened thankfully when she was alone and was able to control it and reverse the effects. Time went on and she became so scared that something was wrong with her that she kept it hidden, trying her hardest to live a normal life and distant himself from everyone. Charles and Erik listened before she told them about how once she nearly changed in front of a few of her friends. "I couldn't control it for once, and this was after years of trying to hide and not use it. I threw myself into dancing at the studio and working. I didn't have a lot of friends, and I just figured if there were other people like me they were scared. We were freaks..."

"How did you learn to control it?" Ryan shrugged, at this time she had made them all coffee and was sitting back on the table across from them.

"I just knew how to not use it. In private I did it a few times, able to melt like that and move around. I'm completely aware of my surroundings and can move pretty much anywhere, under doors, up on walls...anywhere. I kept staying away from the doctor's in case they found anything and faked some stuff to dance for the studio. The only time I did lose control was when I was leaving a gig a few years back. I was walking to my car at night and some mugger tried to pull a knife on me. I got scared and went to block the blade when my arm well..."

"Changed?" Ryan nodded, ashamed. "I stabbed him pretty good and he ran away. I never knew what happened...my arm just changed like that. I've never wanted to hurt anyone before, but it just happened." Charles sat forward.

"What would you say if we had a place where you could be safe, use this talent and not be ashamed?" Sitting, Ryan nervously chewed her lip before looking at both men.

"Can I ever come back home?" Erik sat forward. "Darling, this place will be your new home." THAT EVENING... Charles, Erik, and Ryan rode together in Ryan's car back to the headquarters. The collecting for the moment was finished, they had found the ones they were looking for. It didn't take long to convince Ryan that she was needed. She thought it over and before sunset she agreed. She figured she didn't have much of a future in this small town and left for an hour to give her notice at the studio for the time being. Erik and Charles walked around town waiting to meet her back at her place within the hour. Erik simply strolled along side Charles beside asking what he thought? "I think she'll be useful, i'm very interested...as are you?" Erik simply smiled as he continued walking.

"I guess you could say that..." Once Ryan came back she made a face.

"That bad?" "Well, I pretty much made sure I'll never have a future of a dancer, but besides that I'm swell." Smiling, Charles said he would help her get together her things and they could leave. Ryan didn't take long packing her few belongings in two bags before going to her landlord who lived in the apartment below. By dusk the three of them packed up and headed back. Erik offered to drive first, and together the three of them loaded up and took off. A few hours into the drive, Charles switched with Erik who decided to sit in the back with Ryan. The talk was light, and Charles mostly talked about their plans and what they hoped they could accomplish. Ryan was polite, and soft spoken. Finally, she dozed off. Just as Charles saw their exit he glanced backwards and saw Ryan resting her shoulder against Erik's. He knew in her sleep she must have accidentally fallen against him, but judging from the look on Erik's face, it looked perfectly fine. In fact, Erik couldn't keep his eyes off her. Feeling being watched, he glanced up at James and softly smiled.

"Made of metal, you can't make this stuff up huh?"

"Ready to exchange wedding vows yet?" Making a face, Erik rolled his eyes.

"Please, she's just a kid..."

"Yeah and you seem very attracted to her...and something tells me it's not magnetic." Smiling, Erik looked back down at the little girl and very carefully brushed a loose strand of her hair away from her face. Charles looked back straight ahead, knowing deep in his heart that they would have been better off leaving the girl behind. She was a distraction for Erik who had spent so much of his life alone. At least until now.

1963

At the moment the others were alive. Erik wouldn't give their exact location, but said they were overseas with Raven looking after them. At this news, Charles felt a pit hollow in his stomach. Why couldn't they be here with him? He had a safe place now, why couldn't they all come back? Ryan looked well, besides the dark circles around her eyes. Charles noted that both Erik and herself wore wedding bands, another thing that tugged at his heart. Erik took Ryan's hand, kissing it before asking if he could have a moment alone with Charles. Glancing over, her tired gray eyes met with Charles and she smiled. "Charles, are you well?" Charles had missed her, just as he had missed Raven and the others. He found it unfair that Erik had been able to take the friends he had once looked at as family and leave. Why could he have them and not him? Why couldn't have Raven seen he would never be able to love her as long as Ryan lived? Charles smiled at his friend, the young danger that had stolen Erik's heart and nodded.

"I'm well...and yourself?"

Ryan looked at Erik with such overwhelming love it seemed both sickening and dangerous.

"I'm good, I do hope we can get a chance to talk.

I've missed you very much."

"But of course." Erik nodded before Ryan smiled and turned around, shutting the doors behind her. Once alone, Charles glared at Erik. Even though it had only been a year, he knew his friend had changed. He was a dangerous driven killer, and could no longer be controlled.

"What do you want Erik? I thought you made it clear that you no longer believed in my cause, that you, Ryan, Raven, and the others had your own agenda."

Erik strolled over to Charles' desk before turning two glasses upside down. Taking Charles' bottle of scotch, he opened the ice jar and began fixing the two of them drinks. Charles watched him closely before Erik smirked. "Brother, if you had joined me you would know exactly what we were fighting for, instead...you decided to sit back and let them run things."

"Them as in humans? Erik, we're all human..." "No, we're not Charles. Not even close. Humans unlike us can't control the power they hold." Sitting down in one of the leather chairs, Erik crossed his slack clad legs and sipped his drink. Charles simply held his before Erik smirked and motioned around them. "You really did it Charles, this entire place...your dream come true." "Well, my dream would have been to have all of us together, using our talents for other ways besides revenge."

Erik sighed, staring down at his drink.

"Tell me something Charles, would you feel the same way if Raven had stayed behind?" Charles glared.

"She has nothing to do with any of this."

"Oh but she does, you know exactly why."

"She still loves you, that's why she follows you in your blind plan of revenge and massacre. Even after you married Ryan, she still follows you like a love sick puppy."

"She is my friend and partner, nothing more...nothing less."

"But she'll follow you no matter what, even into death. You knew exactly what you were doing that day." Staring down at his drink, Erik finally lifted his eyes. "I would have never come to bother you friend, mostly after what happened but I must ask your help." Charles raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I'm going to Dallas, on a mission I suppose. We live a dangerous life, but I wish to leave Ryan here." Charles sat forward as Erik set his glass down.

"She's always been my right hand girl, and very helpful as you may know, but I don't wish her to be harmed in case anything happens. In fact I want her to distant herself for a while and rest here, someplace where she'll be safe and with friends."

Charles cocked his head to the side, not exactly following. He had promised himself to stay out of Erik's head, but he sensed something lingering. Erik stared at him.

"She's pregnant."

Charles sat there speechless before Erik nodded, almost as if he was ashamed. "It's early, but we didn't expect it. She's over the moon...and nobody knows yet. Not even Raven. i want to keep her safe, away from all of this until at least the baby is born. You said once this would be our place to feel at home, to be safe...please brother let this still stand true."

Charles wanted more than anything to say no. That this wasn't his home and he wasn't allowed to use him as his wife's keeper whenever he pleased. This was his own fault, he wanted Ryan so badly, well here she was. It was his problem to keep her safe while him and Raven went off fighting the good fight as they saw in their own eyes. Instead, Charles remembered the man he had helped train a year ago. The same man he watched move the satellite dish using all the will and emotion inside of him. From the moment Shaw had been killed, he knew that Erik was a monster. He would never be the better man. Yet, still he couldn't take this out on Ryan. She had been his friend, and didn't deserve to be in any danger no matter how badly she loved him. Sighing, he stared at him.

"Does she know of these plans?"

"It won't be long, a month at the most. I'll come myself to get her and even try to convince Raven to come with me. Please Charles, there is no longer place to go. She wants this baby so badly and I'm afraid for her."

"You know she'll fight this, and most likely try to follow."

Erik shook his head. "I'll try my hardest to convince her, besides she knows she needs to protect our child as much as herself. I plan on leaving tonight, but I need you to promise me you'll watch over her and keep her and my child safe. I know you don't owe me anything, but I know you saw promise in Ryan and love her like a sister. Once I return I promise we'll never bother you again."

Charles simply sat before nodding. "Fine, just this once and it's for Ryan...not you." Standing, Erik stared down at him. "Thank you."

1973 That night forever haunted Erik, even ten years later as he sat on the plane playing chess with a man he had once loved has a brother and friend, and now hated deep down to the bottom of his heart. He wanted to blame him for Ryan leaving to go after him once he was captured. He wanted to take out all anger out on him, the same anger he felt when Charles turned his back on their team and his friends all died. This was the man he had left his wife and unborn child with, and now here he was ten years later. Alone.


	3. Chapter 3

**1962**

They arrived at the headquarters in the middle of the night. Ryan was the last member of the team to be collected. When they pulled in Ryan stirred from Erik's shoulder, blinking before seeing how close she had gotten next to him. Flushing a bit, she scooted to the side and nervously brushed her hair behind her ears.

"Sorry."

Erik closely watched her, his eyes set and serious.

"Think nothing of it."

Avoiding eye contact with him, she quickly slid from the back seat as Charles met her at the trunk and helped her with her bags. Erik quickly got out, and insisted on taking Ryan's bags as they began walking up the cement path towards the building. Ryan walked between both men, her boots clicking. Once they got inside, Erik mentioned he would ride the elevator and take Ryan to her room before bringing her to meet the others. Charles watched the two walk down the darkened hallway before sighing. He knew once he got a chance to talk with Ryan alone he could see exactly what her limits of her powers were and how she could help them. Still, he hadn't liked how Erik was looking her. Sighing, he began climbing the stairs down to the offices. Alone, Erik stood in the elevator with Ryan in dead silence as they rode up the floors. Erik eyed her, still dressed in her leotard and tights. Her body was slim and smooth. He eyed the swell of her breasts and thought to himself for such a young woman, she was built firm and strong. She had a strong dancer's body, and a soft gentle face with high cheekbones. Finally he twitched his finger and Ryan nearly stumbled to the side. Caught off guard, she turned towards him her eyes wild. "Was that you?" Erik smiled at her, partly amused before he twitched his hand again.

Ryan stumbled again and by some invisible force slid up very close against him, her body pressing up against his. Laughing, Erik was clearly enjoying himself as he stared down. Glaring up at him, Ryan stepped back almost as if she was fighting against a strong currant. Crossing her arms she stared at him, her eyes wild.

"Careful, might break your brand new toy."

"New toy?"

"I can tell your enjoying yourself..."

Still smiling, Erik held out the palm of his hand as Ryan's eyes widened and her boots lifted an inch or so off the ground.

"Whoa!"

Laughing Erik lowered his hand causing her to stand back down smoothly. Speechless, she smiled. "You like games?" For the first time in what seemed like forever, Erik began to laugh so hard his stomach hurt. Throwing his head back he laughed loudly before Ryan smirked.

"Try to do this..." In an instant she morphed into a solid reflecting puddle of liquid metal, dropping to the ground like water, it began quickly sliding up the sides of the walls of the elevator, slipping underneath his shoes, and crawling up the ceiling. Watching it in amazement, he held out his palms and felt himself pulling it towards him. With a gentle pull, he made the silver liquid draw back mid-air before falling into his hands. It was cold and slippery like ice. Holding it as it ran between his fingers he smiled.

"Amazing..." Just then he curled his hands and the liquid mass turned into a perfectly silver sphere. Smiling, he rolled it between his hands before he threw it in the air. In an instant before it hit the floor, Ryan turned back to her regular shape and landed softly on her feet like a cat. Smiling, she stood there, fallen strands of her hair brushing down against her face. Stepping in close, Erik looked her over.

"I do believe Ms. Sterling...this is the start of a beautiful relationship."

Ryan smirked. "Don't you mean friendship?"

Erik stared at her, a mere inch away from her lips.

"No, relationship..." And with that, he kissed her. For the first time in his whole life, he no longer felt like a monster.

**1973 **

Logan watched Charles and Erik play chess and sip scotch for nearly an hour in complete silence. Earlier he had seen just a glimpse of the power Erik had in his younger years. It all began with Erik asking how Charles had restored the use of his legs, and both began screaming over what they had lost. As Erik stood, causing the plane to lose control, he shouted all the names of the ones they had lost. Charles laid back stunned as he saw that rage that had so often overtook his friend. He shouted down asking where he was when they were killed?

"WE WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM!"

Hank begged him to stop as things began flying everywhere.

"YOU ABANDONED THEM!"

Before Erik stopped and gained control, he glared down at Charles like a wild animal.

"YOU SAY I TOOK RAVEN AWAY FROM YOU? WELL YOU HAD THEM TAKE AWAY MY WIFE! YOU PROMISED TO PROTECT HER LIKE ALL THE OTHERS AND YOU HAD THEM TAKE HER!"

Once he calmed down, Charles sat down up front with Hank, before Logan lit his cigar.

"So you always were an asshole."

"So I take it in the future we're best friends?"

"I spent a lot of years trying to take you down bub."

"How does that work out for you?"

"Your like me. A survivor. Now how about you pick up all this shit."

Erik looked around at all the broken plates somewhat amused as Charles sat up forward, clenching his hands against his thighs. He knew he had shown a moment of weakness by losing it on Erik. He hated him so much, and the fact he had to take him to Raven caused his blood to boil. That evening, they talked one on one, drinking scotch and playing chess. Erik said the last time he saw Raven was the day before he left Dallas. He remembered this very well...It was the day he broke her heart. After he knew, or at least thought Ryan was safe at Charles, he was hell bent on protecting the president. Raven had gone to him in the hotel he had checked himself into and appeared as her true self as she did the year before, offering herself to him.

"Please Erik, don't turn me away like last time. You know I'm not a child. Make love to me."

Erik had looked her up and down before shaking his head.

"I'm a married man, Raven...you are one of my closest friends, and most faithful partners in this fight, but I'm sorry...as beautiful as you are I've never looked at you that way, I'm sorry."

Raven's golden eyes twitched as she stared at him.

"It's because of her, 'your wife' isn't it."

"You know how I feel, that won't change." Raven slowly gathered up the coat she had dropped to reveal her blue body and glared at him.

"Some day your pretty little piece of metal will be gone and you'll be all alone. When that happens don't even think of coming looking for me." Before Erik could say anything, she slammed the door and walked out of his life. That following morning he was caught. And for ten long years, he simply sat alone thinking of all the mistakes he had made. He did know that shortly after his capture, Ryan had fled Charles and tried to rescue him. She was captured, and all he knew was that she was taken somewhere else.

In fact, one of the scientist that would so often glare down at him from the glass smiled saying they took her away, where she would be experimented on, as well as his unborn child. The rage Erik felt nearly matched the kind he felt the day his mother was murdered. More than anything he wanted to leap out of there and murder this man with his bare hands. The horrible part of it was, he had no idea if it was true or not. So the weeks turned into months, and the months turned into years and he often wondered if she was alive somewhere...with their child. He kept a mental track of time in his head, he roughly figured when the baby would have been due and wondered in that empty cell if he had a son or a daughter. If she had escaped, and if they were alive. He now knew that she had escaped, that the baby...a boy had been taken, and she was out there somewhere. Now that things had somewhat calmed down, he wanted so badly to know details. Had Charles told him earlier she was still captured he would have done anything to find her, even if it meant murdering thousands of men. Instead he knew just the basic facts, the most important was that she was out there. He knew how important it was to find Raven, but he still ached to know where his wife was. Logan watched as Charles and Erik finished their third game. Finally Erik lifted his eyes and stared at him.

"Do you...know how she escaped?"

Charles looked up.

"Ryan?"

He nodded. Sighing, Charles looked at his glass.

"As soon as she learned about your capture she lost it. I tried to calm her down but she wouldn't hear of it. She was hysterical and asked Hank and I to help her break you out. I told her it was too dangerous but she wouldn't listen. The next morning she was gone, she had taken one of the cars and left. I could sense her, but couldn't track her. I have no idea if she even got to where you were but they found her. She was wounded and they took her." "

She wasn't held anywhere near me."

"No, at a base down in Texas. I lost complete track of her, but knew they had taken her. She came back to me a year or so later. They had experimented on her, kept her like a lab rat, and took the baby."

Erik had to clench his hands against his thighs trying not to think about her being experimented on. He focused on breathing as Charles went on.

"She said it was an underground base in Texas, that they were giving her this drug so she couldn't shift shape. She was hooked on whatever the stuff they gave her, nearly unable to move or think. In a constant fog so even I couldn't even find her. She said a lot of it was a blur, but they did horrible things to her. Things she wouldn't even share with me. They took blood, flesh, brain tissue...everything they could get. When she returned, she was hurt...badly."

Erik wanted to say enough but instead he listened. "She wasn't doing well after the baby, she had no idea where he went. She knew if they kept experimenting the way they were she wouldn't last much longer. So one day lucky for her while they were trying to transfer her to surgery she was able to grab a needle. She killed two men, and barley got out before running. She was shot, and badly hurt but she escaped. Somehow a fire had started and she saw her chance and ran."

"She was shot..."

"When she arrived at the house she collapsed on the front steps. It was storming out and she was barley alive. Hank swore she wouldn't last the night. She was hooked on the drugs they were giving her and going through withdraw. She was bleeding, and her wounds were badly infected. Twice Hank nearly lost her but she in time recovered. She stayed with me for some time, still wanting to break you out but finally I convinced her it wasn't safe, mostly after what had happened. That's when she began searching for the baby...even though I think she knew what had become of him. She comes and goes as she pleases but she's never been the same. Her powers aren't as strong, and she's fought this addiction they gave her. She's broken now...whatever they did to her, she's never been able to get over it."

Erik saw one of the chess pieces slowly bend down and twist. Charles caught sight of it as well.

"After...this...I must see her. Will she come back?"

"Maybe, sometimes she's gone for months on end."

Erik chewed his lip before looking down.

"How badly was she hurt?"

Charles lifted his eyes and saw the hurt inside Erik's. "Bad...she thinks she's a monster now. She doesn't talk much."

"She's looking for him?"

"Yes, but we researched, the bases that were located there were destroyed, there's nothing left. No information of it at all even existing. I feel it was a project that was shut down shortly after Ryan escaped."

"Do you think Trask was involved?"

"I highly doubt it, there have been members of the government who have been working against us for very long now. They knew Ryan was your wife, and after your capture I think it was the best way of truly getting back to you. Besides this was the first chance they could get in having a newborn mutant that had two mutant parents to experiment on."

Erik closed his eyes before Charles sighed.

"Erik, I know you, and I know your need for revenge. But you need to stay focused. What we need to do is collect Raven and stop her from doing something stupid. After, we can find Ryan and you can see her."

"But what if Trask was involved, what if any of those men who will be there were the ones who took her..."

"Any of those men back there were you were could have as well, but it's been nearly ten years. She's been searching everywhere and hasn't found anything, not from the CIA, not from the agents, or anyone else. What Ryan needs is for you see her, speak to her...and talk sense into her. She's driven on a hopeless journey. Maybe you can have her see that there's nothing to be searching for, that she can stop living in the past and finally pick of the pieces of her life."

Erik crossed his arms looking disgusted.

"Like I could do that, you know Ryan almost better than me..."

"No, your the only one she would listen to. You always have. She would follow you to the ends of the world if she could...so yes, you can."

Erik sat there, staring off deep in thought, never looking so lost before in his entire life.

**1962 **

Eariler, Erik walked Ryan to the room she would be sharing with Raven and Angel. The girls were downstairs with the others so the room was empty. Dropping her bags on the bed, Ryan looked around with her hands on her hips before Erik stood before her watching her closely.

"Do you need anything?"

Ryan shook her head.

"No, I'm fine thank you. I would like to go meet the others."

"But of course..." Cocking his head to the side, he saw her nervous expression.

"Are you all right?"

Ryan shrugged. "I guess so, it's so strange, my whole life i've hidden what I am in just in the matter of a day I'm told there's others like me, and the tiny little world I've built for myself I left behind. Here I am at a CIA base with strangers, completely scared out of my mind."

Gently touching her chin, he made her look up at him. Giving her a smile, he motioned around them.

"They won't be strangers for long. You'll be safe here." Ryan smiled before he sighed.

"I'll be going away for a few days with Charles, there's something we need to do..." Ryan stepped back.

"It has to do with what's happening, isn't it?" Erik dropped his eyes and nodded. "There's a very dangerous man out there, the one who's causing all of this that Charles told you about."

"Shaw?" He nodded.

"We're trying to locate him before it's too late."

"There's something else isn't it."

"What?"

"Why your after him...I can see it in your eyes."

Sighing, Erik stared at her.

"That my girl, is a story for another time. Until then, you stay here with the others. Like I said you'll be safe."

"The only two people I know so far are taking off on a secret dangerous mission, perfect."

Erik smirked.

"I would't say dangerous...but we'll be back. You stay here?"

"I have nowhere else to go, I'll be here."

Smiling Erik looked down at her body and gulped slightly.

"I look forward to getting to know you Ms. Sterling."

Ryan stared up at him partly amused. "Is that so?"

"Yes, in fact I can't wait to learn everything about you." "Same goes here." Stepping back, Erik smiled before taking her hand and gently kissing it.

Afterwards, he led her downstairs where she met everyone in the lounge. Erik at first could sense she was nervous, standing close to him before Raven ran over taking her hand and offering to make her a drink. Within seconds all of them surrounded her talking and laughing. Ryan looked somewhat overwhelmed, but relieved that she was in the company of good people. Erik stood back watching and couldn't help but glare when he noticed Alex taking a good look of her from behind. Clenching his fists together, he stood back and knew if he watched a second longer there would be a lot of damage to the room. Turning, he followed Charles out. The following night when everyone sat in lounge, Ryan sat in a skirt and blouse between Angel and Raven, her newest roommates. The girls had been very curious about her, asking about her dancing and her life back home. When they began talking about powers Ryan simply stood up and first transformed her arm into a sharp blade. The others watched amazed before she melted down to the liquid metal, and then reformed smiling. Everyone clapped before Angel smiled.

"Erik must love you, you're made out of metal!"

Raven sat there before giving a funny look as Ryan blushed and sat back down. A few hours later everyone was dancing around like crazy. Ryan was twirling around laughing for once feeling at ease. She was in a place where she no longer had to feel scared, or hidden. Just then Charles, Erik, and Moria came in demanding to know what happened.

"You should be professor X, and you should be Magneto."

"Expansional."

Erik said before locking eyes with Ryan. She looked very pretty, her hair up, dressed in that shirt, blouse, and go-go boots. She was dancing near the sofa Raven had jumped off, and stood there looking both guilty and amused. Before he turned, he smirked at her before heading over to his quarters. Quickly packing a small bag, and grabbing his leather jacket, Erik was lost in his own thoughts about hoping to find Shaw. That's when a light knock came to his door. Looking over his shoulder, he glanced at the door before eyeing the clock. There was still nearly a half an hour before they had to head to the plane. Walking over, he answered it and saw Ryan standing there.

"Well, isn't this a surprise." Blushing slightly, Ryan raised her eyebrows.

"I sure know how to make a good impression. Guess that's what happens when too much wine happens."

Smiling Erik let her in. Closing the door behind him he watched her as she walked over to his bed. Enjoying the view, he crossed his arms.

"I wouldn't take it too heart, you guys are kids." Turning, Ryan gave Erik a look. "I'm twenty-three...speak for yourself Erik, I'm not a kid." Erik laughed.

"Twenty-three sounds pretty young to me."

"How old are you?"

"Thirty-four."

"Wow..." Laughing again, Erik walked over.

"So, think you can stay out of trouble until I return?"

Ryan smiled.

"I'll try my hardest."

Staring down, Erik opened his palms and smiled as she came closer to him.

"I must say, you are quite a find..."

"Same goes to you." Reaching down, Erik laced one of his hands into hers and gently squeezed.

"If only the CIA knew...here I was falling for one of their new recruits."

"Falling huh? Erik you barley know me..."

Smiling, Erik stared down at her.

"That's because...I sense a certain...attraction between the two of us."

Opening his palms, he pulled her in closer before wrapping his arms around her and deeply kissing her. Unknown to both, Raven watched from the window outside in the courtroom. Shaking her head she turned and continued walking.

"Typical..." She muttered to herself.

**1973**

Los Angeles Ryan sat at a dim lit bar, her leather jacket on, and her once fine hair now tied sightly back with a silk scarf. She was slowly touching the rim of her beer glass before her attention came to the TV that hung over the bar. It was a news report...about Paris. Instantly her tired eyes widened. There on the television she watched in Paris her friends she had once thought of as family. There was Raven, Hank and... She gasped, feeling the entire body go numb as her heart dropped. Played footage of what had happened was shown. Hovering and lowering himself down on the ground was Erik Nearly knocking her bar stool over, she gasped.

"Jesus..."

There he was attacking Raven and Hank, causing gates and cars to fly, and lifting himself up from the crowds.

"No...it can't be..."

Scared out of her mind she ignored all the puzzled men at the bar watching her before her hand went to her breast and she felt her heart race. There he was, not Erik her husband, or Erik the father of her son and man she had fallen deeply in love with. No, what she saw on this news report was Magneto. The man who had became lost to her. Slowly she backed up, not taking her eyes off the news before she hit the doorway. Spinning around, she ran out.


	4. Chapter 4

**1973 **

Erik sat in the darkness of the hotel room he had checked himself into. Stitching in the gash from the back of his head, he sat forward watching the slides he had taken in Paris, his blue eyes focused and tuning out everything else. His plan was to find these machines, and show the people of the world how powerful his kind really was. He had lost all ready so much, now it was time to prove that it was his kind that would conquor all. His kind that would put an end to this war before it even began. The same humans that had destroyed his life would pay and beg for mercy. After, he would find Ryan. He refused to believe their child was dead. Like her, he would not give up until he knew the truth for sure. Together they would search for him and kill or stop anyone who got in their way. Charles, Hank, and Logan knew they would have to leave early that morning to head to DC. They only prayed they weren't too late. Standing around in the pallor, which years later would fully become the game room at the school. Staring at all these rooms, Logan couldn't believe that someday he would call this home.

"Magneto...he's never talked about a wife before. I mean we're not close or anything in my time...but I haven't even heard you talk about her once."

Charles looked up from his chair.

"Perhaps there's a true reason, maybe she was smart enough to truly hide from that bastard..."

"He really loved her didn't he?"

"He didn't deserve her, along with everyone else. Erik likes to treat things like possessions and doesn't care who gets hurt when they are taken away or lost to him."

Just then a loud hammering echoed through the house. Hank exchanged a look with Charles who simply nodded.

"Front door..."

Hank walked past them, towards the main foyer as Charles began to wheel behind. Following, Logan watched as the men went to the large oak door. Outside thunder sounded off in the distance as it began to rain outside. Hank pulled the door open before he stood back in awe. "Ryan..." Charles wheeled faster, his eyes widening before he stopped. There standing in the doorway was the woman Logan had heard so much about. She was dressed in a black rain coat, her head bowed, and large sunglasses covering her face. She clutched a bag, and looked nothing like he expected. This was the woman who had Magneto's heart? Looking, suddenly Logan somehow understood the real reason why she had never been mentioned before. Somehow he knew, deep down...she was dead. Lifting her head, she pulled her sunglasses off revealing her damaged bloodshot eye. She was pretty in a strange average sort of way. She stared up, drenched, and helpless.

"How did he get out?"

Charles sighed.

"Ryan..."

She stepped forward into the light.

"I saw him on television. It was him wasn't it?"

Stopping, Ryan looked up at Logan, her eyes confused.

"Wait...who are you?"

**1962**

Erik couldn't wait to tell Ryan about the satellite dish. He had woken up earlier than usual this morning, going for his daily jog before meeting up with Charles. Taking out his handgun, he tried to get him to shoot him point blank in the face to show how he could deflect the bullet. Instead Charles pushed him to try harder, and use an element of his power he had never been able to try and reach before. After the president's address, he grabbed hold of her hand pulling her into one of the side rooms. Over the course of that week, he couldn't believe how quickly he was falling in love. Charles pushed every single one of them, trying to get them to control and channel their inner powers. Twice while walking the house Erik had spotted Charles and Ryan on the front lawn.

He was proving how quickly Ryan could transform to the liquid and use herself as a shield for the others. He warned her how to control herself, mostly since she could dart and turn her limbs into weapons. Each night after a whole day of training, practicing, and working in the lab they would all settle down to the kitchen. It strangely felt like a family. Somehow this place seemed safer, Every night he would stare at her from across the table, watching her laugh, smile, and look five years younger than she all ready was. He always walked her to her bedroom before they all turned in. Each time, he would squeeze her hand, smile down at her and watch as she stood on her tip toes and gently kiss the side of his jawbone. He always wanted to take her right then and there, grab her by the waist, pull her close and carry her to her bed. Instead, every night he would act the gentlemen, wish her a goodnight, kiss her head and go to bed. Most nights he would lay awake, hands behind his head thinking about her. He began to notice Charles watching him watch her, usually smiling. He had a feeling it was pretty clear how he was starting to get feelings for her. In fact, he figured even if Charles couldn't read minds he would still know. Today though, he had enough. He pulled her into one of the rooms and began talking a mile a minute.

He explained how amazing it felt, how Charles had touched his mind and for the first time he didn't just use rage to use his inner strength. Holding up his hands at her, his face flushed with excitement he laughed.

"It was amazing, I've never felt anything like this before."

Ryan smiled staring up at him.

"That's wonderful Erik!"

Staring down at her, Erik knew he could no longer help himself, Staring down, he quickly grabbed hold of her, nearly lifting her off the ground before he began to kiss her like a madman. Slightly taken off guard, it took her a second before slowly starting to respond. Finally when they pulled apart, Erik and Ryan were both breathless, and amazed.

"Come..."

Grabbing her hand, he hurried her up the stairs, skipping two at a time before they hurried down the hallway together, nearly stumbling into Erik's room. Laughing together, they began to kiss in a complete frenzy, hands all over each other as Erik kicked the door shut behind them. Unknown to them, Raven was walking back from the weight room and happened to see the two of them. Trying her hardest not to look hurt, she walked downstairs, knowing better. Sure she thought Erik was handsome, but he was so much older. Instead she decided to try and focus her thoughts on Hank. Meanwhile upstairs, Erik tore open Ryan's blouse, while she yanked at his pants, laughing as they stumbled backwards onto his bed. In just a few quick moments, Erik's pants were lowered and he pulled at the remainder of Ryan's clothing. Reaching, he pinned her down and all ready felt her force against his. Staring down, he smiled as he began slowly kissing down her throat all the way down her breasts. Squirming underneath him, Ryan's eyes blinked in Erik watched as her eyes turned into mirrors, reflecting up like metal. Smiling, he stared down utterly amazed.

"You are truly a wonder..."

He whispered before lacing his hands into hers. Smashing her down with his lips, his back arched as he began to moan. For the reminder of that afternoon the two made love. By sunset, both laid together, tangled in the sheets, drenched in sweat, and exhausted. Laying there with Ryan in the crook of his arm, they stared at the ceiling. Tomorrow they would go to Cuba, and hopeful stop Shaw. Glancing down at her, Erik smiled before he gently brushed her hair away and kissed the side of her temple. For the first time ever in his life, he felt as though he belonged.

**1973**

They rode the plane to D.C, Charles kept nervously tapping his hands onto his thighs. Sitting beside him, in black tights was Ryan who continued wearing her mirrored sunglasses. she hadn't spoken much since Charles told her about Logan and their plan. She simply listened and finally said.

"I'm coming with you."

Charles at first thought it was dangerous, that she couldn't help them. Instead, Ryan simply waved her hand.

"If Erik will show up, we all know nobody can reason with him besides me. I know at one point you could, but if he is hell bent on revenge like Mystique, maybe I can stop him."

So she came with, simply sitting beside Charles not saying a word. Finally at one point Charles carefully wheeled his chair to the front checking on Hank. Alone, Logan cleared his throat and looked across at her.

"So...your...Magneto's wife?" Lifting her head, she stared up at him.

"I guess you could say that. And your Logan...from the future?"

Logan smirked and simply tapped his head.

"Well, only this part."

Logan was surprised to see a small smile appear on her face as she slowly lowered her sunglasses, revealing her badly bloodshot and damaged eye.

"I...was captured once, and tortured. The men who did this, one's name didn't happen to have the name Striker?"

Ryan took a second, almost as if trying to remember some horrible memory. Instead she simply shook her head.

"I don't know, there were a lot of men. A lot of it is a blur now."

"And your child? They took him?"

Ryan gazed off before sadly nodding.

"Once I was captured, they did horrible things to me. I was locked in a small dirty cell, or laid down in a tank.

They drugged me, beat me, and nearly killed me. I can't remember half of it but finally when I did give birth, it was in a lab strapped down. They tore him out of me and I couldn't even see him, I only heard him cry and they took him away." Pausing Ryan looked over at him. "Erik...he's alive in your time?" Logan made a face.

"Yeah, he's alive...he's an old tough bastard, but he's alive."

Ryan smiled. "That's good. Does he still...well is he still causing just as much trouble as I remember?"

"Of course he does, he's my biggest pain in the ass."

Sadly laughing, Ryan shook her head.

"Sounds about right."

"It's funny, I never thought a man like Mag...Erik was the settling down type."

"Well, he's full of surprises. He never mentioned me?"

Logan shook his head.

"No, he didn't." "Well, that means one of two things. Either we walked out on each other, or...I'm dead."

Logan gazed at her with uneasy eyes before Ryan sighed. "I guess I believe in Charles...just because somebody stumbles, doesn't mean they loose their way."


	5. Chapter 5

**1973**

Erik held shaw's old helmet in his hands as he strolled down the darkness of the park in D.C. It was past midnight, and he had been able to find the sentinel machines being transported and had all ready gotten to them. Lifting them, he stored them in safe keeping until tomorrow. Walking back from where he had been held imprisoned for nearly ten years. Taking the helmet, he knew this was the only way to be one hundred percent sure that nobody could stop him. He remembered that helmet, worn by Shaw all those years ago, and how the second he was able to take it from him his path of revenge begun. After Charles had decided not to join him, he turned it into his own, taking the name Mystique had given him.

Magneto.

That following year after Cuba had been the best one for Erik.

He somehow, strangely enough had a family. Now with Shaw dead, he decided to lead the others in proving that they were the greater race. That humans could fear them, and that they were unstoppable.

Riptide, Azazel, Angel, Mystique, Emma, and Ryan all served with him. They continued the army he wished Charles would have joined. They traveled the world together, them looking at him as their leader as he taught them how to be strong fighters and survive. The only person who truly knew how badly he missed Charles was Ryan. He suspected that Mystique did as well, but she was becoming one of his best soldiers. He knew she had feelings for him, and was wildly jealous of Ryan, but pretended to be the strong one. It seemed that something was going on between Azazel and her, and Erik wished with all his heart that she would become the fighter he saw within her.

After Cuba, Erik knew Ryan was the one to stay by his side. She had been the one who joined him on the beach, holding his hand with her silver eyes reflecting. She was the one who could open up to and feel as close to human as he possibly could. In fact, shortly after breaking Emma out, he told her one night after making love and falling asleep in each other's arms about how truly unlucky in love he had been. He told her that he had many lovers in his lifetime, in fact he admitted that he hadn't been the greatest gentlemen before her. Lots of one night stands, lots of meaningless sex. He did tell her about the young German girl Aisha he had met a few years before, how they met at a pub and how he couldn't bring himself to tell her what he truly was. When she told him she was pregnant, he became a coward, and left her. When he finally got the guts to face his responsibility he found out just a few months later she had died in a fire when her apartment burned down. He told Ryan he never knew if Shaw had been involved, but he always regrets never stepping up and being a man. He told her about all the women he left behind, and how it wasn't until her that he actually believed there was such a thing as a soul mate.

Ryan laughed and then admitted that he had been her first lover ever.

Raising an eyebrow, he hiked himself up on one elbow, looking down at her near the flicking fireplace they were laying in front of.

"Your kidding."

Ryan laughed, covering her face.

"I'm afraid not."

Staring down amazed, Erik smiled before he rolled on top of her.

"Well my love, there is so much for you to learn..."

The two stayed by each other's side, working together in the fight they had begun.

Then...they lost each other.

Thinking of her, he couldn't believe ten years had passed. He remembered that year of them together, how she had become his wife, his companion, his lover, his friend, and his mate. Together they traveled the world, side by side...never once letting her out of his sight. When he learned she was pregnant, it was the happiest he had ever been. He wouldn't make the same mistakes he did in the past. No, this time he would make things right. He hoped his child was just like Ryan and him, he hoped he could be the father he never had and teach this child to never run or be scared as he did. That's when he left her at Charles' hoping she would be safe until he returned from Dallas. Hoping everything would be all right.

But instead he was captured, and while he was locked away she was taken, tortured, and punished for his mistakes. His baby was taken away, and his friends killed. Now all these years later he would prove to these sickening monsters the error in their ways. He would punish them as they had punished Ryan. He was sick of running and hiding, tomorrow would change everything.

Thinking of her, he gripped the helmet and wanted his wife more than anything at that exact moment.

**That morning... **

Logan glanced at Ryan as she came from the back of the train. She was dressed in black tights, and silver boots. Her sunglasses still on. When she passed Logan she noticed his eyes and smirked.

"This...well this is part of what I used to wear back when we...Magneto and I were together."

"What's your special name?"

Smiling, as if remembering an old memory Ryan put her hands on her hips and sighed.

"I had several but in the end I ended up being called Reflector, it seemed like the only one that stuck."

"Do you think he'll show up?"

"I'm not sure, but if he does maybe I can stop him from doing something stupid."

Nodding, the two helped Hank get Charles off and together they headed to the rental car they had waiting for them to take them to the event. The entire ride, Charles kept nervously glancing at Ryan as she sat beside him. He didn't want to say it out loud, but yesterday when he was shouting on the plane to Erik, he not only meant Raven for being taken away...he meant Ryan as well.

His heart ached knowing he had fallen in love with his best friend's and is sworn enemy. Looking at her, he remembered all those years ago how she had came to him, wounded, bleeding, and soaking wet from the storm. It was him who had taken her in, nursed her back to health, and was there for her when Erik wasn't.

He swore that after he made things right, he would never allow himself to dwell on the past any longer. If he could change the future, maybe, just maybe life was worth living.

The four of them rode out in silence, praying it wasn't too late. All the meanwhile, Ryan stared out the window wondering where Erik was? Wondering if he hadn't started a war causing any more damage to be done.

**1963**

**_When Ryan learned of Erik's capture, there was no stopping in her trying to find him. First she begged Charles and Hank to go with her, to help her get him back. Charles simply explained that Erik had gone too far, that he was a killer now, and it was too dangerous._**

**_"But he's your friend!"_**

**_Ryan cried, pacing his study. Her insides ached as she nervously wrung her hands together. The reports of the presidents death were everywhere. The press said that it was some man with a sniper, but Charles knew better. Instantly he knew Erik was involved and had been taken. The government of course knowing what he was covered the entire thing up, but as the students of the school sat glued to the TV screens, watching the reports over and over again. _**

**_Charles finally calmly explained that Erik and the others had been playing with fire with what they were doing, it was only a matter of time before this happened, in fact he sensed maybe Erik knew that sooner or later this would happen and maybe that's why he dropped her off here in the first place._**

**_"But we have to go after him!"_**

**_Ryan cried, looking right then and there as a helpless teenager. Not the strong young woman Charles had watched hold onto Erik's hand that fateful day on the beach back on Cuba. Now she looked as Charles had seen her, not as the object Erik claimed to own._**

**_"Ryan, Erik told me to look after you. You're pregnant, you need to think about the baby..."_**

**_Ryan stared at her with hate filled eyes before she stormed upstairs to the room she was staying in. The very same room she had made love to Erik with less than a year before hand. Throwing herself on the bed, she curled up sobbing having no idea what to do. Finally, a little after midnight she changed into her black catsuit, zipping the back and lacing up her boots. She smirked at herself at how tight her suit felt, she was just starting to show. Gently rubbing her stomach she looked at herself in the mirror before sighing. Erik was right, she really was on her own. Taking a deep breath, she opened up the window and slipped out onto the night._**

**_Less than a day later she was captured, taken, and tortured._**

**_Images of her laying, strapped down all those months later as the blurred faces of the doctors and scientist look her over. How they injected her, drugged her, and pulled her baby screaming and crying away from her._**

Snapping out of her thoughts, Ryan came to as the car came to a halt. Logan looked back at her.

"Ready?"

Nodding, Ryan fixed her sunglasses before getting out and helping Charles with his chair. They headed in the direction of the crowds towards the white house. They all walked together, Hank pushing Charles. The second Ryan saw the metal detectors she sighed.

"Ah shit."

Logan stopped.

"What?"

Ryan pointed.

"Now what?"

Ryan sighed.

"I can't go in without them going off, I'll stick just outside...keep my eyes out okay?"

Nodding Charles reached up and patted her leg.

"All right darling, be careful."

Smiling Ryan nodded as she walked back, blending in with the crowds and pacing around. Hank and Logan continued on. As Ryan kept walking around, she had no idea that her husband was coming very quickly, and was about to do exactly what he did best.

To show off.


	6. Chapter 6

"He's all yours."

Mystique said as she pulled off Erik's helmet and walked away. Ryan watched as she stumbled over the wreckage. The moment the stadium dropped, all hell had broken loose. She had been waiting outside when she heard the music begin. Lifting her eyes she saw the shadow and couldn't believe her eyes as she stared up at the sky. Turning on her heel she ran, nearly stumbling before it dropped around her causing the ground beneath her to shake. She fell down when a piece of railing nearly fell on her, pinning her leg. She struggled underneath it as people screamed and fan. From where she was she couldn't see anything. She heard gun fire, and struggled screaming to herself as she finally yanked her boot from under the twisted metal that trapped her. Getting to her feet, she saw her leg bleeding but ignored it.

She saw the sentinels attacking, and finally the vault being torn from the white house and landing in the middle. She tried to run but her bleeding leg gave out and she nearly face planted on the ground. Rolling over, she screamed holding herself. It reminded her of when she tried to rescue Erik all those years ago, how she had been captured and how they took her into the darkness of some underground lab and drugged her.

She remembered how those months were all a blur, how they kept injecting her with something that caused her to barley be able to move, think, or breath. So many blurry faced staring down, and all those operations, treatments, and pain they caused. She remembered how she couldn't think, focus, and try to figure out how she could get out of there. Erik was captured somewhere as well, most likely the same horrible things being done to him. She didn't regret trying to rescue him, but she knew in her heart she should have listened. She barley remembered her pregnancy, only that she strapped her down in a cell, injecting her over and over again, most of the time floating in some darkness of a coma. How the day came that she looked down at herself and couldn't believe she was staring down a full swelling pregnant stomach sticking out from her tiny frame. She felt her baby moving inside of her, and within the blink of an eye she was tied down to a delivery table, scientist surrounding her, as they continued to drug her, making everything blur and twist together. Her pain roared through her, and within seconds she felt the baby get torn out of her. For just a brief second over her glazed vision she saw the baby, a boy twisting and screaming being held up by gloved hands. Then the doctor cut the cord and rushed him away. She weakly tried to reach forward, crying for her baby before they injected her again and darkness took over.

She remembered escaping, getting shot, and stumbling out of the darkness and into the night wandering wishing for death.

All these years later she could somehow remember those horrible months captured, tortured, and her child being taken from her. She blamed herself, and now here she was helpless yet again watching whatever was left of the life she had once had being destroyed. She stumbled over, just in time to see Erik, her Erik laying there.

Her damaged eyes beneath her sunglasses widened.

He had been shot.

She watched as he rose to her feet and stared at Charles being held by Hank.

"You know if you let them have me I'm as good as dead."

"Goodbye Erik."

"Goodbye old friend."

"ERIK!"

Everyone froze before Erik stopped and turned, looking forward he saw her and his entire expression changed. Charles and Hank turned watching as she raced over, limping badly as she jumped over wreckage and pieces of twisted metal. She ignored the shocked expressions of the men watching, as tears filled her burning eyes as she ran forward. Charles watched, panic filling his heart.

"Ryan don't!"

But she ignored him, she ran forward as fast as she could before he began running towards her. Within seconds she ran into his arms and felt them wrap around her. Burying her head against his shoulder, she let out such a gasp of relief, tears choked her throat as he squeezed her.

"Ryan?!"

He roughly pulled her back and used both of his hands to hold her head as he gazed down.

"Let me look at you."

He took the sunglasses off her, and stared with heartbroken eyes into her own bloodshot and damaged ones. Right away he grabbed her, holding her tight as he glared over his shoulder at Charles and Hank. Kissing the side of her head, he fought back tears before squeezing her and slowly closed his eyes for a moment before he lifted off the ground. Ryan clutched onto him as they flew up towards the sky, and away from them.

Hank stared with Charles before he looked.

"Charles..."

Charles shook his head.

"Let them be, they deserve each other."

**Later...**

Erik landed with ease upstate in a small field. He landed down, still holding onto Ryan as hard as he could. The moment he felt his boots touch the ground he violently yanked her in front of him and gave her a hard shake.

"Is it you? Is it really you?"

Ryan burst into tears as she buried her head against his chest, her body shuttering and shaking as he held onto her, deeply breathing in that same faint smell of perfume he remembered all those years ago. Pressing his face against her, he struggled not to cry. He felt his knees buckle before he pulled her back, staring down tears blurred his vision before he tried to take her sunglasses off.

She raised her hand blocking him.

"Don't, please..."

Erik looked down, devastated before shaking his head and snatching the sunglasses away before she could stop him. Staring, she saw her damaged bloodshot eye, and the faint flicking that that silver gray still left in them. She looked up before shutting her eyes and looking away.

"I must look awful..."

Grabbing her head, he forced her to look at him.

"They did this to you?"

Ryan stepped away, out of his embrace.

Erik knew it was too soon to ask, instead he reached out, took her hand and brought it to his lips. Feeling himself tremble, he kissed it as tears rolled down his face. The two stared at each other before Erik pulled her forward, using his mind as she went up against him and he closed his eyes, kissing her deeply. It was the kiss he had been dreaming about, thinking about, and keeping him alive all these years. Holding onto her, his mouth opened and closed before he broke, gasping and pressing his forehead against hers.

**_Later..._**

"Do you remember, the night I got you pregnant?"

Erik asked as he sat with Ryan in the back of a train boxcar going out West. He had taken the chest plates off and sat shirtless as Ryan knelt beside him, carefully treating his neck where the bullet had scraped his neck.

Ryan had her sunglasses pushes up to her hair, and it pained Erik to see that damaged eye, knowing it was just one of the many results left from what those bastards had done to her. He knew in time he would ask about it, and she would tell. Until then, he was just grateful that he was with her. Ten whole years without her, now here they were, older, wiser, and broken.

He felt her smooth fingertips brush against his neck, and in these few hours never before had he felt so happy. After years of being in a windowless cell, he had dreamt of the moment he saw her again and held her in his arms.

Ryan paused, frowning slightly before she dropped her eyes and nodded.

"Of course I remember..."

Reaching forward, Erik squeezed her hand and looked her straight in the eye.

"I never meant to leave you Ryan...I promised you..."

Ryan shook her head.

"No, I promised to protect our baby. I was foolish and it cost us more than I can even bare."

Erik felt tears prickle behind his eyes but he willed them away. His neck burned, and his heart ached. Charles had proven him wrong in showing he could stop Raven. Still, he didn't trust the humans. It was the humans that nearly destroyed them back in Cuba, the humans who captured him and killed the president framing him, the humans who caught Ryan, and took their son away...

They might have won this battle, but he knew a war would still be raging no matter what Charles said or did. They were still outlaws, and outcasts, They would be hunted, and this time he would never allow them to touch her again.

He squeezed her hand.

"Please tell me what happened, just once. I need to know."

Ryan sat down on the hay covered floor of the car, and stared across at him as they traveled down the railroad. It would be dark soon, and both were exhausted. He knew if there was any change of getting her to talk about it, this was his one chance. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head.

"I heard you were captured and left Charles' I wasn't even thinking...I just shooted off to D.C since I heard that's where you were being held. I reached the Pentagon, but it was a trap, they shot at me and captured me. When I woke up I was drugged up in a cell, there were no windows, no furniture, nothing. Just cement walls, floors, and ceilings. I tried to morph, but whatever they gave me stopped my powers. i was groggy, my head fuzzy, I could barley move. A lot of my time there was just a blur. I laid on the floor of that cold dark cell, and slept. All I wanted to do was sleep. I was dead to the world, there were guards, dressed in black uniforms, no patches, no weapons, just lab coats and they injected me every night. They gave me little food, not nearly enough water. I felt sick all the time. Soon I began waking up strapped to a table. There were all those machines, and tubes. They forced them down my throat, injected me...cut pieces off me..."

She raised her blouse showing all the crude ugly scars that traced the side of her body. Erik instantly frowned as he reached out and gently stroke them with his fingers. Ashamed, Ryan pulled down her shirt and went on.

"There were doctors, all wearing masks. I was so weak from the drugs I could barley move. They kept injecting me, putting me in this tank, taking my blood, taking fluid, and their voices all blended together. I couldn't understand them. Sometimes the pain was so bad I would just pass out. I lost track of time and the only way I knew I had been there for a while was the baby. One second I was laying on the table, the next I looked down and my stomach was full and round. I could feel him kicking inside. Sometimes I begged for them to not hurt the baby. I knew the way I was being treated wasn't healthy for him but they never answered me. I was too skinny, and I ached all the time. I had nightmares about what the drugs were doing to him, finally I went into labor. I was drugged for most of it, but they strapped my legs apart, and the second he slid out of me they yanked him up, practically ripping the cord and for just a brief second in the haze I was in from the drugs and blood loss I think I saw him for a second, he looked healthy...he was kicking and screaming, still covered in blood. They carried him away and I cried asking where they were taking him? They injected me and I passed out."

"Jesus..."

"The next time I woke up, I knew how bad I was. They had fixed me up, but I knew I was going to die. The same scientist came in to give me my shot and I waited until he was leaning over me when I..."

"What?"

"Ripped his throat out with my teeth, he screamed but I was able to grab the needle and jam it into his throat. I grabbed his keys and almost fell. Everything was so blurry, the room was spinning and I could barley walk. I ran out of the cell and that's when the alarms began to sound. I didn't know where I was going, I just held onto the walls, sick to my stomach, looking for him. A guard came, running towards me and I had to force myself to focus...I was able to turn my hand halfway into a sharp piece of metal. I couldn't hold it long, but did it along enough to stab him. I don't even know if I killed him, just that I got his gun and looked everywhere for the baby. I knew others were coming and I kept trying to turn my hands back but I couldn't, so I found a ladder and began to climb it, I could see a tunnel and I saw the sky...the stars, nothing ever looked so beautiful before in my entire life. I nearly fell, but I pulled myself up and rolled out onto the desert ground. I began limping, trying to run and I heard the alarms still going. There weren't ant buildings or anything, just darkness. I kept running as fast as I could when I heard the shot. I was so drugged but all I felt was a sting. I kept limping and somehow they didn't find me. I don't know how long I ran but by dawn I reached a small town and collapsed. I was shot, but it wasn't serious. I posed as a homeless woman and was rushed to a small hospital on the border. I had lost a lot of blood and kept thinking any second one of those men would come for me...but they didn't. I was dehydrated, shot..."

She lowered her shirt showing another scar by her shoulder.

"And drugged up, they couldn't pin point what exactly what it was, but I began on detox right away. I knew if i stayed I was a goner, so I snuck out that night with one of the nurses' bags. I had enough money to ride the bus up country and came to the house. It took me a while to recover, I nearly bled to death getting there. I had trouble getting my strength back, and..."

She motioned to her bloodshot and damaged eye.

"And this, it never got better. My powers came back, but their not nearly as strong as they used to me. I returned to that same exact spot, and the entire place was abandoned, the place had maybe twenty rooms and labs in total, counting the cells. There was nothing, not a single needle, or paper. Just empty rooms with water damage from sitting so long. I think when I escaped they left in a hurry. Before Charles began his treatment to get his legs, he even tried going with me to get anything whatsoever to help where these people were, or if the baby was still alive, he ended with nothing. I searched high and now all these years, using any leads I could but nothing. I ran away, leaving our son in that filthy place, and that's something I have to live with the rest of my life."

Erik held her face, bring her closer now tears rolling down his face.

"You didn't, it's my fault. I shouldn't have been so reckless. I shouldn't have left you alone...and..."

Ryan paused looking down before finally lifting her damaged eyes.

"For ten years I've looked for him Erik, there's no traces, no signs, nothing. I believe they murdered our son shortly after he was born. That's why I'll always believe in your fight Eirk. I may not always see eye to eye with your method, but...they took and killed our baby. Erik, I feel in love with you the moment you came to me, I have followed you ever since Cuba, and I will so whatever it takes so we're never separated again. Ten years...ten long years and what do we have to show for it? Wasted time, and a dead child..."

"Ryan..."

"He's gone Erik, we can search the rest of our life's for him...but it won't do us any good. I've looked for ten years, and nothing. I can only pray that if he is indeed gone, the bastards didn't pick him apart like he did with us. That it was quick..."

More tears spilled from their faces.

"I...just know, we'll ruin whatever we have left if we spend the rest of our life's looking for him. We need to let the dead rest and stop looking for revenge. I just pray the monsters who did this are rotting in hell."

Erik gathered her in his arms and held her tight, soothing her the best way he could. Together, they simply sat together in the boxcar listening to the wind and knowing that they were promising right then and there that they would no longer live for the dead. Their little boy was dead now, and they were paying for the mistakes they had made. Ten years now, and together they were side by side again. By nightfall they fell asleep in each other's arms, listening to each other breath as they drifted off.

By dawn the the train stopped, they stepped out into the sunlight and Erik motioned for her. Taking her hand, they both lifted off before he held her close.

"Come on, I have something to show you..."


End file.
